microorganisms that cause diseases in poultry and ruminants WORM PARASITES IN POULTRY RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHICKENS PREVENTION, CONTROL & TREATMENT

2. WORM PARASITES IN
POULTRY

3. PARASITIC
WORMS

4. Scientific name
Roundworm: Ascaridia galli
Hairworm: Capillaria spp.
Caecal worm: Heterakis gallinarum
Eye worm: Oxyspirura mansoni
Hosts:
Earthworms, flies, slugs, snails and beetles
may be carriers of parasitic worms that
affect poultry.

5. Birds become infected by picking up worm eggs
from the litter, soil or droppings. Once in the gut,
the eggs hatch and mature. The eggs of the
worms are excreted in the birds' droppings and
the cycle starts again.
Some worms require a host to complete their life
cycle and poultry must ingest the affected host to
be become infected by the parasite.
LIFE CYCLE

6. • Hairworms are found in the esophagus, the
crop or the upper part of the small intestine.
• Tapeworms attach to the wall of the upper
and middle thirds of the small intestine.
• Roundworms are found in the small
intestine.
• Cecal worms are found in the blind end of
the caeca.
VARIOUS LOCATION INFECTED
BY WORMS

7. A veterinary diagnostic laboratory or
veterinarian’s office can diagnose intestinal
worm infections by examining droppings under a
microscope for parasite eggs or by postmortem.
Small animal veterinarians may not be very
familiar with chicken parasites, and some flock
keepers armed.
How to diagnose parasitic worm infections

8. • slow growth
• reduced appetite and
weight loss
• ruffled feathers,
droopiness and an
unthrifty look
• diarrhea
• reduced egg
production
• pale comb.
Clinical signs

9. Worms are usually transmitted
from bird to bird through the
fecal oral route. This is where
worm eggs are excreted in
droppings and then ingested by
birds that scratch and peck at
the soil, litter or droppings.
Ingestion of infected
earthworms, bugs and other
secondary hosts can also spread
parasitic worms.
HOW IT SPREADS

10. Parasitic worms cannot be totally eliminated, hence the aim of
deworming is to reduce their population so that they do not affect their
hosts. Giving your hens a drug that effectively kills or paralyzes intestinal
worms is referred to as deworming them. In the chicken's excrement, the
worms that are dead or dying exit the intestines.
Be careful about deworming too much. Repeated deworming only leads
to worms developing resistance to medications. Good evidence actually
suggests that hosting a few worms is an immune system booster, believe
it or not! Albendazole, fenbendazole, ivermectin, and levamisole are
effective treatments for most parasitic worms of chickens. Fenbendazole
and albendazole have the advantage of being extremely safe
medications. Piperazine is only effective against roundworms.
Treat and Prevent Parasitic Worms

11. The greatest impacts in a worm infestation are reduced
feed efficiency and egg quality. In severe infestations,
death may occur. Occasionally worms are found inside
the chicken egg.
Caecal worms can harbour the disease organism that
causes blackhead. Chickens can be resistant to
blackhead, however turkeys are quite vulnerable.
IMPACTS

12. CONTROL
 Wet areas encourage worm growth so have good drainage on
the range area to limit water from pooling and puddling.
 Treat with anti-parasitic drugs, usually added to the water.
Check veterinary advice and follow manufacturer's directions,
including any withholding periods where eggs and meat
should not be consumed.
 Regularly clean poultry housing, including their feeders and
drinkers and remove any build-up of fecal material.
 Using a combination of these methods will help to achieve
the best results.
video

13. RESPIRATORY
DISEASES IN

14. RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHICKEN
• Infectious coryza
• Fowl cholera
• Chronic respiratory disease
• Infectious Bronchitis
• Gapeworm
• Newcastle disease
• Avian influenza

15. INFECTIOUS
CORYZA
While “coryza” has traditionally referred to any
respiratory disease of poultry, infectious coryza
is a specific bacterial infection caused by the
bacteria, Avibacterium paragallinarum. Other
common names for infectious coryza include
roup or contagious catarrh. Infectious coryza
causes poor growth in young birds and a
significant (10 to 40 percent) drop in egg laying.

16. SYMPTOMS
• discharge from the nostrils
• watery eyes
• swelling of one or both sides of the face.
The most distinct symptom is a foul-smelling odor
coming from the chicken’s head. Once you smell
it you will never forget it. Other symptoms may
include lethargy and loss of appetite.

17. TRANSMISSION
Birds can be carriers of the disease and still
appear healthy, which makes infectious coryza
very hard to control, especially on farms
without an “all-in, all-out” flock practice. The
disease can be spread directly from chicken to
chicken and indirectly through aerosol or
contaminated feed, water, equipment, and
clothing.

18. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Infectious coryza can be diagnosed through lab
testing and treated with antibiotics administered
through either feed or water.
Erythromycin and oxytetracycline can be very
effective if the disease is caught early. If the disease
is too far advanced the treatment may only prove to
be effective during the administering period. Once
the treatment stops, the disease may resurface.

19. HUMAN HEALTH
Infectious coryza is also referred to as
a cold in chickens, but, while humans
do catch colds, it is not the same
strain of cold as in chickens. Humans
do not catch infectious coryza from
their chickens.

20. FOWL CHOLERA
It is caused by various strains of a bacteria called
Pasteurella multocida. It can cause blood poisoning
and chronic infections. Outbreaks have taken out
entire flocks.

21. It targets older birds and is more common in
roosters. Fowl Cholera also affects other birds
like turkeys, ducks, and canaries. That’s why
some call it avian cholera. The bacteria can
jump on humans too. Any chicken that
recovers will remain a carrier.
The disease thrives in cold and wet weather
conditions. Luckily there is treatment
available with antibiotics.

22. Acute Form
The acute form strikes so fast that some birds die before
showing any clinical symptoms. It’s terrifying to walk into the
coop ready for the morning chores, only to find half of the
flock has been wiped out.
SYMPTOMS

23. SIGNS OF SERIOUS ILLNESS
• watery green or yellow diarrhea
• blue or purple discoloration of the combs and
wattles
• fever and ruffled feathers
• extreme weight loss
• general depression and lethargy
• mucus on the beak
• heavy breathing, yawning, and lung infections

24. Chronic Form
The bacteria infect multiple parts
of the chicken’s body in the
chronic form.
SYMPTOMS
ears and sinuses
feet and legs
wattles, face, and sometimes eyes
SIGNS OF SERIOUS
ILLNESS

25. TRANSMISSION
The disease can be transmitted orally through contaminated
food, water, or cannibalism, as well as through the
respiratory tract. Other modes of transmission include
wounds and contact with infected carcasses.
Fowl typhoid is more frequently transmitted between adult
birds compared to pullorum disease. Additionally, it can be
spread between houses by rats, wild birds, and human traffic
carrying dead birds and droppings.

27. • Ensure that eggs used for hatching are from
healthy parent flocks to avoid transmission through
eggs.
• Maintain strict sanitation practices on the farm.
• Provide clean feeds and water to the birds.
• Properly dispose of dead birds.
• After an outbreak, thoroughly clean and disinfect
the premises.

28. • Medication is usually added to the water
for prolonged periods to minimize the chances
of the disease returning. Common antibiotics
are based on sulfadimethoxine and
sulfamethazine, both part of the so-called
sulfa drugs.
These sulfa drugs are highly effective in killing
nasty bacteria, but they also wipe out the
beneficial ones. Since sulfa drugs are so toxic,
it’s impossible to eat the eggs of chickens
getting the additives.

29. • In November 2021, researchers from Ethiopia published some
promising results on developing a new vaccine. In the tests, their gamma-
irradiated fowl cholera mucosal vaccine provided 100% protection
against fowl cholera, compared to the 85% of the adjuvant bacterin
vaccine they currently use. They reported an all-around boost in
antibodies in the saliva as well as in the blood of the chickens.

31. • Not allowing outsiders to come in direct contact
with your birds.
• Have visitors wash their hands and step into a
disinfecting solution when they come to your
property. A shallow pan of bleach water generally
does the trick.
• Do not bring new birds onto your property, in
other words, have a closed flock.

32. • If you do bring new birds onto your property, you
must quarantine them for at least 30 days completely
away from your existing flock. You’ll need to wash
your hands and change your shoes before moving
between spaces.
• Keep your coops and runs clean. Daily spot
cleaning of coops and a sweep out of runs once a
week, especially in small, confined situations, is key.

33. • If one or more of your birds shows signs of being
sick, remove them from the flock immediately and
isolate them.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect any areas where
sick birds have been. This includes any feeders and
waterers they’ve used.
• If a bird dies due to illness you may want to take
them to a state lab to have them necropsied. This way
you can get a more accurate diagnosis of what the
bird died from.

34. HUMAN HEALTH
Humans can get fowl cholera. The disease is not
the same as human cholera, and the symptoms are
less severe for humans than for chickens. Infection
typically starts with bites and scratches from dogs or
cats and can spread to our eyes and throat.
In rare cases, the disease can spread to other body
parts, such as the lungs or abdominal areas. Worst
case, it can even reach the brain and lead to
meningitis.

35. Fowl Cholera and Human Cholera
Although they are both bacterial diseases, fowl
cholera is caused by Pasteurella multocida
whereas human cholera is caused by Vibrio
cholerae. These are both gammaproteobacteria with
the same size and outlook, but these are the largest
family of bacteria on earth. In essence, they are two
different bacteria.
Human cholera is an infection of the intestines
that causes diarrhea and dehydration. It’s spread
via unsafe water and undercooked seafood.